Cobmination running board, table, and container



' May'29, 1923. 1,456,780

. ,J. E. KERMODE COMBINATION RUNNING BOARD, TABLE, AND' CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet l generally overcome the objections referred to; to improve and simplifydevices of this Patented May 29, 1923.

; H D j;

F FWE,

anivins n. *KERMODE, or VALLEJO, CALIEOENiA.

ooiviBiNa'rIoN RUNNING BOARD, TABLE, AND CONTAINER.

"Application mean Larch 29,1922. Serial No.:54a7,1704.

To'aZZ whom 1: may 001mm.-

Be it known that I, JAMES E. KnnMonn, a citizen of the United States, residing at vallejm-county'of 'Solano and State of ialiforni'a, have invented new and useful Improvements in Combination Running Boards, Tables, and Containers, 0% which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a combination container and tablefor automobiles, and es pecia'lly to a device of this character which may become a part or" the. running board of an automobile.

For camping trips, Sunday outings, and for shopping purposes or the like, automobiles are often equipped with ioldable brackets, trunks or other devices. in "which bundles, camping equipment, etc, may be placed. Such devices are invariably secured on the exterior of a car and are in most instances permanently fast'enedto the running board, where they form an obstruction when notrequired, and furthermore usually detract from-the usual appearance of the car. The object of the present invention is to character, and particularly to provide a foldable running board which when folded will have the general appearance of an ordinary running board, but when unfolded or extended may either serve as a container or I as a'table, as will hereinafter "be more fully described. Further objects will hereinafter appear.

The invent on conslsts of the parts and the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed,having-reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view partly broken away, showing one end of the folda'ble run ning board, which may serve either as a container, a table, or runnlng hoard.

Fig. 2 is perspective view of the front end of-an automobile showing the application of the-invention.

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the container partially in section and parts being removed.

Fig. 4 is a central, vertical cross sectionof the container.

Fig. 5 is an end VIEW of the container showing it extended to serve as a table.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, A indicates the base portion of the container which in this instance is reinforced along the sides and ends by means'of an angle iron as 1nd1cated at 2. The base may be constructed of any suitable material, but preferably of sheet iron as a minlmum of space is inthis manner consumed. The sides of thebase section are flanged and turned upwardly as indicated at 3 and hand the upper edges of said flanges are turned over "t'olform bearings 5 and 6,

in which is jou'rnalled pair of rods '7 and 8. Pivotally attached to the rod 7 carriedby the journal members 5 is a front section 9,

the base whenthe whole structure is c61 lapsed. tended when the means of coil springs 14 interposed between They are otherwise normally -eX-' parts. are unfolded by the bearing sections 11, the 'front and :rear sections 921ml 10 being similarly normally raised about their pivotal lmountings by means of coil springs 15 and 16: The rear section 10 is provided with a sliding cover section '17. This cover section forms the top of the running board when the partsare.

folded, and it also forms a cover 'forthe con-' tainer when the-parts are unfolded as shown in Fig. 4. It furthermore serves asiata'ble when desired as will later be described;

The cover section 17 maybe constructed of any suitable.material, for instance l-ino leur'n, and is reinforced 'by angle; iron secured along its ends and-outermostzside as indicatedcat 19 and 18 respectively. The v ends of the angle bars 19 terminate in V- shaped notches 20, adapted .to engage pro-' jectio'ns 21 formed on the rod '8; that'isthe rod 8 is slightly longer than absolutely required andas suchv projects a 'sufiicient distance to permit 'the'Nenotches iof the reinforcing ends '19 of the cover to' be engaged. The rod-8 thus serves-as a stop which limits the downward sliding inovement of the cover section 117 with relation to'the back"section 1 0. The upper edge of the back section 10 is reinforced by a rod 22. The ends of this rod project as indicated at 23, and as such enter a slot or guide fonned on the inner side of each end section 19. This guide is formed in any suitable manner or as here illustrated by riveting a strip 24 on the inner side thereof, said strip being provided with rightangular end extensions indicated at 25 to limit the upward or outward sliding movement of thecover 17 with relation to the back section. V

In actual practice the several parts assume the following position: The end sections 13 are folded inwardly against the front section 9 and as such rest directly against the base or bottom section A. The front section 9 rests directly on top of the end sections, and the rear section 10 when folded will in turn rest upon the front section. The section 17 then forms a cover for the whole and may be secured by a latch or any other suitable locking means. When the parts are folded, the cover forms that portion of the running board upon which the users of the car step when entering or leaving the car. This cover member gives the ordinary appearance of a running board, and as such does not detract fromv the general appearance of the car, nor does it in any way form an obstruction. If it is desired to use the running board as a table, it is only necessary to release the lock and to pull the cover in a forward direction as indicated in'Fi 5. A pair of supporting legs 30, pivotal y secured as at 31 to the inner side of the reinforcing angle iron 18,

may then be turned downwardly and as such will form a support for the table. If it is desired to employ therunning board as a carr in trunk or container it is onl will necessary to raise the cover and the rear section 10 until they assume the vertical position shown in Figs 1 and 4; this position being readily assumed as the tension of the coil springs 16 will materially assist such movement. The front section 9 is then grasped and swung about its pivotal rod 7, which movement is also assisted by the tension of the springs 15. The end sections 13 automatically swing outwardly as shown in Fig. 1 'when the front section is raised and they may here be looked as their inner ends are flanged as at 28 and are re ceived by end channels 26 formed in the rear section 10. When the flanges 28 enter the end channels 26, an interlock is made and accidental release is prevented by providing a pair of pivoted latches such as shown at29 which has swung downwardly against the end sections thus clamping the same. Theefront and read sections 9 and 10 are held in a vertical position, due to the tension of thesprings 15 and 16, and also by the end sections 13; a fixed spacing being about the projecting ends of said rod, as

these will then serve as a hinge, and the cover may thus be swung downwardly over the front and end sections to cover the contents of the container; the cover being here locked if desired by a latch or other securing means of any description, not here shown.

The entire structure is exceedingly simple and as sheet iron may be employed throughout, it can readilybe seen that the cost of manufacture should be fairly small, and that the space consumed will be almost immaterial, due to the fact that the few parts employed are thin and will fold flatly one on top of the other. The ordinary appearance of the running board will in this manner not be affected as the present device can hardly be detected when the parts are folded. The device as a whole may be quickly collapsed or extended when required and as such should not only serve as a useful adjunct for camping or otherwise traveling, but also for ordinary town shopping and the like.

The base section A of the present C011". tainer may extend from the front mudguard to the rear'mud-guard and as such may be supported by the usual'brackets provided for running boards. Again it should be obvious that the present device may extend over a portion oftherunning board if desired as the structure will in no Way be affected whether the length is increased or decreased. Again, while certain features of the present invention are more or less specifi cally illustrated, I wish it understood that various changes in form and proportion may be resorted to within the scope ofthe appended claims, similarly that the materials and finish of the several parts em ployed may be such as the experience and judgment of the manufacturer may dictate or various usesmay demand.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat-. ent is -1. A convertible running board for automobiles, comprising a base, a pair of side sections pivotally mounted thereon and foldable relative thereto, end members pivotally connected at one edge to one of said side sections, means for detachably connecting said end members to the other side section, and a cover slidably and pivotally connected to one of said side sections.

2. The combination with the running board of an automobile, of an inner and an outer side section pivotally attached thereto to permit folding downwardly'against the running board ,or vertical positioning of the same, a cover member carried by one of said side sections, and means permitting sliding and pivotal movement of said cover section with relation to the member carrying the same. i

3. The combination with the running board of an automobile, of an inner and an outer side section pivotally attached and foldable with relation thereto, a pair of end members pivotally attached to the/front section and adapted to be detachably connected to the other side section, and a cover carried by. the inner side section and slidable and pivotally movable with relation thereto.

4. The combination with a running board of the character described,"of an inner side section pivotally attached and foldable with relation to'the running board, a reinforcing rod in the upper endv of said side section, said rod projecting from therespective ends of the side sections, a cover member, the

sides and ends of which are reinforced, and

guide members on the inner sides of the reinforcing end sections into Whichthe ends of the rod project and which permit sliding and pivotal movement of the cover with re relation to the; running board, a reinforcing rod in the upper end of said side section,

said rod projecting from therespective ends sides and ends of which are reinforced, guide members on, the inner sides of the re inforcing end sections into which the ends and pivotal movement of the cover with re.- latlOIl to the inner section, a front section pivotally attached and foldable with rela-' i tion to the running board, a pair of end sections pivotally attached to thefront section,

'of the-side sections, a cover member, the" 45. of the rod project and which permit sliding f I channels formed at each end of the inner" section, flanges formed on the end sections adapted to entersaid channels, and a pair of' latches carried the inner side section movable to and away fromthe end sections.

JAMES E'KERMODE. i 

